City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Pittsburgh, PA (94.7) and Tallahassee, FL (93.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA goes as far as $99,200 in Tallahassee, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,204 a month in Tallahassee, FL versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Tallahassee, FL and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Tallahassee, FL ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pittsburgh, PA | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,206 in Tallahassee | $100,801 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Tallahassee, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
71 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Pittsburgh → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $55,020 | $55,461 (−27.5%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $121,800 | $122,775 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $61,840 | $62,335 (−19.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $79,430 | $80,066 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.